Issue with switching from Virgin Media?

MrChips

I've been with VM for broadband for a few years, and my latest 18 month deal expired meaning my monthly charge more than doubled to £49.

Last time this happened I called up and they were able to broadly match the best deal on the market so I stayed but this time the best they could offer was £30 per month so I declined.

Looking at a comparison site, the best price available to me for a decent speed is with POP with whom I can snap up a 50MB connection for around £20 a month.  However having just tried to initiate a switch the POP website says they can't provide this service to me (only a 5 MB line).  However, when I retried testing the address of my next door neighbour instead it went through fine.

Is there some reason why this would be the case?  Does my existing VM connection count against me for some reason?

EDIT - just tried a dummy switch to Vodafone and same pattern - not possible at my address but fine for neighbour's address.

born_again

Might be supplied from different boxes or exchange. 

MrChips

I don't think that's the case, I typed our details in here and it says we are both served from the same exchange, and same cabinet.

https://www.broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com/#/ADSL/AddressFeatureProduct

MrChips

OK, after a bit more digging, it might be because there is a "waiting list" for FTTC where I live.  Same is true for my neighbour, so not sure why they don't get the same rejection but perhaps if I pursued the application through to the final stage it would be rejected then...

iniltous

You don’t check the FTTC column but the SoGEA column, SoGEA is FTTC but without a PSTN phone service , and is the appropriate Openreach product now that WLR ‘lines’ are no longer sold , it’s now SoGEA that is the correct product, obviously if that is also waiting list it may explain why you can’t order .
FWIW , your choice of provider may be worth doing some research ( not the best reputation ) another possible reason for having an issue , if you have had Virgin for some time , any record of the address having Openreach based service may well have disappeared, so a new installation rather than a takeover of an existing service is needed , and some providers are only interested in taking over Openreach lines rather than getting a ‘new’ line installed.

MrChips

Thanks for that input - actually checking again it is SoGEA which is "waiting list" (FTTC is "unavailable").

Any new provider seems to be largely hypothetical at this stage!  We've had VM since around 2020 I believe (so 4 years).

So would the best strategy now be to one or more of the following:
(i) keep haggling with VM (possibly improved by giving notice and seeing if they try a bit harder to retain my custom)
(ii) potentially let the service lapse and sign on again as a new customer (which from some quick research seems to be possible literally hours after disconnection)
(iii) keep checking the SoGEA status until it shows as available and then try and grab a deal with someone else.

?

MrChips

Quick update - checked my home address last night and a slot in the cabinet seemed to have freed up so applied for a contract with Now Broadband (which seems to be Sky with alternative branding).  £22 per month with £90 cashback via TCB.

Go live on 23 October so will see if VM are desperate to keep me before then!